Painting Polk 65-RT inwall speakers

rgfcpq
rgfcpq Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Troubleshooting
I am painting the speaker grilles and still not exactly clear on what to do. There is a fabric behind the metal grille. This thread here ( http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?12664-Painting-In-wall-speaker-covers&highlight=paint+grill ) says to remove the fabric before painting and then put back. The document here ( http://www.polkaudio.com/downloads/manual/VanishingInWall_MN.pdf -- page 3) makes no mention of what to do with the fabric.

What is the right thing. I have 3 speakers that I will be painting and have had the paint mixed and put into spray cans. I need to know what is to be done with the fabric. I am painting the grilles a dark brown, so I don't think the fact that it is black behind it will be a problem. However, I am not sure if the fabric helps or hurts with the painting. Also, not sure what affect paint on it would have from a sound transmission standpoint.

Please help clarify. Thanks!

Ray
Post edited by rgfcpq on
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Comments

  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,148
    edited March 2014
    Hello, rgfcpq and welcome to Club Polk. You don't want to paint the grills with the fabric in place. Can the fabric be removed without ripping?

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • rgfcpq
    rgfcpq Posts: 3
    edited March 2014
    There does not appear to be a way to remove the fabric -- it is tight against the metal screen. I called Polk support today, and they first said I should remove the "scrim" or cloth backing. When pointing out that the instructions don't specify that, nor do they explain how to do that, he read the instructions and acknowledged that this was different than he thought and put me on hold. I had to take another call I was on hold so long...Will call back.
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  • rgfcpq
    rgfcpq Posts: 3
    edited March 2014
    Contrary to Polk's printed instructions, customer support told me to remove the fabric. It is spray glued to the grill and I used a straight razor to start the release and gently pulled it off. Also removed the Polk Audio labels on the front of the grill. Noticed after pulling off the fabric that some of the little holes are filled with the spray glue/remnants of the fabric. Kind of annoying. Polk needs to be clear around what is required to paint these. Will see how the next steps go...
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,148
    edited March 2014
    I would recommend removing as much of the glue/remnants as possible. Also, the holes can fill up rather quickly when spray painting if you are not careful. Please make sure that the spray gun or tip has a fine spray tip and that you are placing very light coats onto the grill. This will insure that none of the holes fill up. If any of them do, STOP, get a toothpick and try to get out as much of the paint as possible without disturbing the substrate and next time either increase spraying pressure and back away more or if you can't adjust the pressure, then most definitely back away more when applying the paint.

    Another friendly hint. Start the spray pattern away from the grills and move from side to side, staying at a steady pace. If a particular area doesn't get completely covered, don't concentrate the spray pattern in one spot. This is a sure way to have the holes filled. You can always make another pass when the paint dries. Hope this helps and good luck.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • ccorley12
    ccorley12 Posts: 1
    I am in a very similar situation, needing to paint the grilles dark brown and just wanted to see if there is any updated advice as the initial posts were some time ago. Thanks in advance for any help you guys might be able to provide.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,654
    The solid advice above is the same today.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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